I don't believe you can take a lower that has already been assembled as a rifle and turn it into a pistol. If you start with a stripped lower and never assemble it as a rifle, you can build it as a pistol. When you fill out the 4473 for a lower it should be marked as "other/receiver."

Could you legally switch configurations back and forth? Just curious...

DH

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Typically a pistol has a short barrel (less than 16") so by putting a stock on it without a tax stamp you're asking for trouble and a date with big bubba. Assuming you want a pistol with a 16" barrel then I don't see why you couldn't just put a stock on it whenever you like. Having such a setup is pointless as a pistol.

In NC, there is no registration.
If it started as a rifle, then it has to stay a rifle.
If it started stripped, then you are fine to make it how ever you would like.

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I know that there's no registration here. I was unclear in my OP. I was referring to any forms for the ATF? I don't want them to show up one day and my pistol AR to be illegal. It has a pistol buffer tube already. No upper mounted yet.

I know that there's no registration here. I was unclear in my OP. I was referring to any forms for the ATF? I don't want them to show up one day and my pistol AR to be illegal. It has a pistol buffer tube already. No upper mounted yet.

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So long as it is on the 4473 as "OTHER" (as all stripped lowers should be), you're fine.

I know that there's no registration here. I was unclear in my OP. I was referring to any forms for the ATF? I don't want them to show up one day and my pistol AR to be illegal. It has a pistol buffer tube already. No upper mounted yet.

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Here's the stupidity of the law- did you buy this brand new as either a stripped lower or a pistol lower with the buffer tube installed?

As mentioned, it's OK to build a stripped receiver into a pistol, and you can convert a pistol to a rifle and back again without any problems.

However, if you build a rifle with it first, then you can't later make it a pistol. Same goes if the person you bought it from made it into a rifle first. Stupid, right?

So if one has a stripped lower registered as "other", it can be made into a pistol with a 11.5" upper. But if you remove the pistol buffer tube and add a but stock....you now have an SBR, correct? And that calls for the $200 stamp. Are these stock configurations legal "pistols" or are they considered SBRs?

So if one has a stripped lower registered as "other", it can be made into a pistol with a 11.5" upper. But if you remove the pistol buffer tube and add a but stock....you now have an SBR, correct? And that calls for the $200 stamp. Are these stock configurations legal "pistols" or are they considered SBRs?

If so, might be a good way to go with if you live in a state where you can't own a SBR or don't want to pay the $200 stamp. Interesting.

DH

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Or in my case, I'm putting a pistol together to keep in the truck. Here in MI we can't drive around with a loaded rifle in the truck. However, with a CPL you can have a loaded AR pistol. That's the only reason I'd want a pistol over a SBR.

I may be wrong but I think if you have any way to effectively shoulder the weapon it falls under the SBR category. You could shoulder a pistol buffer tube I guess but who knows

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I thought it simply had to have a barrel shorter than 16" and a RIFLE stock. The kit in the link above simply has a piece attached to the pistol buffer tube, yet the pistol grip has been removed. Why the removal of the pistol grip? Dono....

I thought it simply had to have a barrel shorter than 16" and a RIFLE stock. The kit in the link above simply has a piece attached to the pistol buffer tube, yet the pistol grip has been removed. Why the removal of the pistol grip? Dono....

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